There’s that quiet moment before the wedding guests arrive. When you can look around with satisfaction, seeing the beauty and life your floral designs bring to the space and the people who will soon step into it.

To help you create them in the new year, here are 30 wedding floral designs tips from the four most-read IDEA Weekly wedding blogs in 2018.

Some are timeless. All continue to be on-trend for 2019. All will inspire you to do your most impressive work bringing fashion-forward looks to life for your brides.

Which are your favorites? Enjoy this recap in countdown order of the four wedding blogs and 30 expert tips that trend-setting designers shared with us.

4. Flower Garlands

Photo: Flowers of the heart

Garlands of fresh flowers and foliages have long been used to decorate mantels, doorways and railings for weddings and other special events.

The current trend of using long and rectangular reception tables such as farm tables made fresh flower garlands a popular decorating option in 2018.

Try these tips for using garlands:

Want to keep cylinder garlands from turning in hanging designs? Insert a wooden pick or skewer into each end of floral foam to connect one to the other.

A continuous table garland can be made with OASIS® Sealed Brick Garland. The bottom of each block is wax sealed to hold in water. The mesh between foams can be clipped apart to create individual arrangements after the event.

When planning flowers for rehearsals, wedding ceremonies and receptions (or any related events), consider creating designs that can be used grouped together and individually.

Multiple arrangements can be designed in advance and then easily delivered and popped into place as a continuous flower garland.

When time is short onsite, fill a series of brick trayswith wet floral foam, flowers and foliage. Line them up like a garland on the table.

Arrangements in 4-inch wide raquettes are a good fit for long and narrow tables. Choose the combination of raquette sizes that will fit end-to-end the length of the table to create the look of a garland.

Brick tray and raquette garland arrangements can be repurposed as elevated designs by placing them individually atop a line of two or three tall glass vases.

Pre-made garlands can be purchased to save time and labor on hectic wedding prep days. Some designers find that garlands can be made less expensively by hand.

Use floral adhesive to glue fresh flowers or greens into a faux garland to make it appear from a distance that it’s fresh. Or, wire flowers in a water tube if the garland is to be long-lasting.

3. Floral chandeliers

Photo: Alan B. Thompson AIFD

Brides seeking a lush and organic feel for their wedding flowers fell in love with suspended floral chandeliers in 2018.

When a bride asked Alan B. Thompson AIFD of McNamara Florist in Carmel, Indiana, to design a spectacular fresh flower chandelier for her wedding, he was unsure how he would safely create and secure the heavy fresh flower design and prevent it from dripping water on wedding guests.

“This was our first time for this type of design,” he says of the 6.5-foot diameter overhead structure. To add to his angst, the wedding was on Mother’s Day when the shop already had scheduled two weddings.

Drill two holes on each side of the tile to secure the tiles to the top and bottom of the truss. Connect two narrow 11-inch cable ties to get the length needed to secure them.

Make the designs in advance, giving the foam tiles time to drain for minimal dripping during installation.

Back the design with foliages and then insert smaller-stemmed flowers, cut about three inches long, to hold well in the foam without glue.

Double a piece of disposable wedding carpet and pin it to the back of the design to hide the mechanics.

Attach the foam tiles to the aluminum truss with cable ties.

Photo: Alan B. Thompson AIFD

“The initial investment in mechanics may have been a little higher using the floral foam tiles,” Alan explains, “but in the long run involving less labor by getting in and out of the event quickly was a big savings.”

“In today’s fast-paced market, you have to think a little differently than old school.”

2. Elevated Arrangements

Photo: Tipton & Hurst

“It’s all about the drama,” suggests Chris Norwood AIFD, PFCI and vice president of Tipton & Hurst in Little Rock, Arkansas. “I’d rather sell one great design as the focal point of a room than make 10 smaller ones to spread around.”

What’s more interesting than a typical centerpiece sitting on the table? Elevated arrangements!

“When you place arrangements low on the tables and then the room fills up with people, you can’t even see them,” Chris explains. “We want all of our party work up high to be seen, so we use elevated features that showcase our flowers.”

Photo: Tipton & Hurst

Chris offered these helpful hints:

Designs made in Lomey dishes are easier to design and transport for installation. Add draping and cascading flowers once the design is in place.

A 6-inch Lomey tray sits well atop the rim of a vase with a 4- or 5-inch opening. If the diameter is wider, a 9-inch or larger dish can be used. Choose a clear dish for clear vases and a black dish for black vases.

Save last-minute design time by creating light-weight structures using branches and good quality silks as the foundation. Insert flowers on-site.

To create the illusion that the flowers were actually arranged in the vase, tuck wisps of vines, stems or branches into the vase water.

1. Circular Wedding Arches

Whatever they’re called in your area, these large circular floral arrangements topped the wedding charts and our blog in 2018.

Mandy Majerik AIFD, PFCI, of HotHouse Design Studio in Birmingham, Alabama, offered some sage advice for constructing these freestanding, suspended or wall-mounted circular designs that can be adapted to any style of décor or color harmony.

Add a layer of florist netting or chicken wire if a tighter weave is needed.

To help lessen the weight of a design and meet tight installation times, use permanent materials in suspended installations. Add fresh flowers on-site.

Photo: Y NOT iMages

Mandy reminds florists to be sure to have the proper business license and insurance requirements to do larger installations. “You want to protect both yourself and your business!” she advises.

If you aren’t sure how to hang your structure, Mandy recommends that you seek advice from your fellow lighting or draping vendors. They’re trained in how to properly support installations, especially when hanging or rigging items over people’s heads in public spaces.

Floral Expert, Speaker, and Author, Sharon McGukin (Mc-Goo-kin), is nationally known for her captivating style of Floral ‘Edutainment’ – educational tips with entertaining insights. Sharing her forty years of experience with others, Sharon McGukin AIFD, AAF, PFCI is recognized across the country for her floral expertise, Southern charm, and easy, approachable manner with audiences.

A Past-President of AIFD – the American Institute of Floral Designers, Sharon has designed in almost every state in the US and internationally, as well. Sharon is a member of the prestigious Smithers-Oasis Design Directors Team. She actively participates with PFCI – Professional Floral Communicators, International, American Academy of Floriculture and the Society of American Florists.